Container with openable segment



Nov. 19, 1968 w. M. PERRY CONTAINER WITH OPENABLE SEGMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 23. 1965 FIG.

FIG.4

F'IG.3

INVENTOR WALTER M. PERRY.

ATTORNEY FIG.6

W. M. PERRY CONTAINER WITH OPENABLE SEGMENT Nov. 19, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 25. 1965 FIG. 8

FIG-.14

Flea

INVENTOR WALT E R M. PER RY BY dauaml ATTQ NEY United States Patent 3,411,661 CONTAINER WITH OPEN ABLE SEGMENT Walter M. Perry, 76 Locust Hill Road, Darien, Conn. 06820 Filed Oct. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 502,904 14 Claims. (Cl. 220-54) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A can, typically for a beverage, has an end, usually aluminum, 'with an easily openable segment defined by a score line. A lift tab is connected to one end of the segment. The other end of the segment has a reverse fold which overlies the scored surface and which projects beyond the score line, as an extension which provides a lifting leverage to facilitate the last part of the opening operation. The sides of the segment may have the reverse fold to stiffen the segment, or stiffening ribs may be provided. The pa ts may be so designed that there is a bias or twist during the opening operation in order to further reduce the force needed to open the can.

This invention relates to containers, especially metal cans, and more particularly to such containers arranged for easy opening without the need of a separate opening device.

Cans having an end with an openable segment defined by a score line, and having a lift tab secured to one end of the segment, have proved popular and have gone into wide use. When the lift tab is raised its end of the segment usually shears or pops open readily, but thereafter the operation requires progressively more force as the shearing or opening proceeds, and becomes very difficult at the end of the segment where a direct pull is required. I have found that a lifting force of say six pounds may be adequate at the starting end, increasing to say eight or nine pounds along the sides of the segment, and then greatly increasing into a range of from say eighteen to twenty-five pounds at the end of the segment.

The general object of the present invention is to improve this class of container requiring no can opener or key or other such tool. A more specific object is to provide for easier opening of the scored segment at the end remote from the lift tab. Another object is to provide for easier opening at the sides of the segment.

A further object of the invention in one form, is to bias or twist the opening operation. Still another object of the invention in certain forms in to-provide the separated segment with a reversely folded periphery, thereby minimizing the chance of injury resulting from the sharp sheared edge of conventional segments, which have proved dangerous, as when discarded on a beach.

To accomplish the foregoing general objectives, and other more specific objectives which will hereinafter appear, my invention resides in containers with improved openable segments, as are hereinafter more particularly described in the following specification. The specification is accompanied by drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the end of a container embodying features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially sectioned elevation of the container ta-ken aproximately on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a modification having longitudinal stiffening ribs;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of another container end, modified to bias or twist the opening operation;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section similar to the upper part of FIG. 2, but prior to seaming, and drawn to enlarged scale;

Patented Nov. 19, 1968 FIG. 6 is a transverse vertical section taken approximately on the line 66 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 7-10 are schematic views explanatory of certain drawing, scoring and folding operations which may be used to form the container end of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a plan vie-w showing some features of the invention applied to a container having an openable segment of large area;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary vertical section taken approximately on the line 12-12 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary vertical section taken approximately on the line 1313 of FIGv 3;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary vertical section taken approximately on the line 14-14 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary plan view of a simplified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the container may be generally conventional, and as here illustrated has a cylindrical body 12 and a circular bottom 14 secured thereto by means of a conventional end seam 16. The body 12 may itself have a vertical side seam, not shown. The top is closed by a metal end 18 secured to the body 12 by means of an end seam 20 which may be conventional. The can end 18 is made of metal, usually but not necessarily aluminum, and it has an openable segment 22 defined by a score line, here represented by a dotted line 24.

There is a lift tab 26 which may be made of aluminum or of a stiffer metal, for example tinned steel, or which may have a folded edge 28 to stiffen the same. The inner end of segment 22 has an upwardly projecting rivet 30 which secures the lift tab 26 to the segment. This rivet usually is integral with the can end 18, it being formed by a drawing operation which provides an upwardly projecting inverted cup over which a mating hole in tab 26 is applied. The cup is then flattened to rivet the tab to the segment, without losing the continuity and integrity of the sealed can end 18.

The can body 12 and the bottom end 14 often are made of tinned steel, and in some cases are made of aluminum. Other materials may be used such as plastics, the present invention being directed primarily to the openable top end 18. In current practice this is made of aluminum, but another material may be used if suited for the necessary drawing, scoring, and eventual shearing or opening operations.

As so far described, the container would be conventional. However, by reference to FIG. 5, as well as to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the openable segment 22, in addition to the integral rivet 30 at one end, has an integral reverse fold or convolution 32 at the other end, which fold overlies the scored surface 34, and projects well beyond the score line 24. This provides the segment 22 with a relatively stiff extension, with resulting lifting leverage to facilitate the last part of the severance or shearing operation.

With can ends as heretofore made the opening operation starts relatively easily when the tab 26 is lifted, and from inspection of the drawing, it will be seen that this results from the leverage provided as the free end of the tab is raised. The final separation at the outer end of a conventionally scored segment requires a direct pull, with no assisting leverage, and this greatly increases the force needed to complete the separation and removal of the openable segment. However, with the extension 32 (FIG. 5) here added, a leverage is provided for the final shearing of the scored metal, thereby greatly reducing the force needed.

Referring now to FIG. 6 as well as to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the sides as well as the end of segment 22 are provided with reverse folds or convolutions 36, and these again preferably overlie the scored surface, and extend beyond the score line 24, but in this case a lesser projection beyond the score line will suffice. The reversely folded edges 36 serve to stiffen the segment 22, and this facilitates the opening operation. Aluminum is soft, and an ordinary fiat segment tends to curl or turn upward as the lift tab is pulled, thus requiring a direct pull to shear the metal. However, with the stiffening folds shown at 36 in FIG. 6, there is an angular disposition during the shearing action, and this reduces the force needed.

With the same purpose in view the center region of the segment may be somewhat depressed or channeled, as shown at 38, thereby additionally stiffening the segment. The objective is to reduce rather than to completely eliminate bending of the segment, because if the segment were truly rigid and incapable of bending at all, the force needed to open the same would again increase, because the entire length of the score line 24 would have to be sheared at once, instead of being sheared progessively.

One extra advantage of the reversely folded edges provided by the convolutions 32 and 36 is that the removed segment has a rounded edge instead of a sharp edge. This eliminates the hazard of cuts now caused by discarded segments, particularly at beaches or other recreation areas.

Another form of the invention may be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 13 of the drawing. In this case the tab 26 and rivet correspond to those previously described, and the openable segment again is defined by a score line, here represented by dotted line 40. The outer end of the segment again is provided with a reverse fold or convolution 42, corresponding to the part 32, previously described. However, this reverse fold is not continued along the sides of the segment. The segment is stiffened in this case by longitudinal ribs or inverted channels 44. In the particular case here shown there are two such ribs, but it will be understood that a lesser or greater number of stiffening ribs may be employed.

FIG. 13 also illustrates the fact that the metal of the can end 46 may be scored at the bottom, as shown at 40, in lieu of or in addition to the top scoring shown at 40. This is true of all forms of the invention. Also the ribs 44 may be used in the segment of FIG. 1, in lieu of the depression 38.

Still another form of the invention may be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 14 of the drawing. As before, the can end has an openable segment defined by a score line here represented by dotted line 52, and a lift tab 26 is secured to one end of the segment by means of an integral rivet 30. The outer end of the segment has a reverse fold or convolution 54 which corresponds to that shown at 32 in FIG. 5, and at 42 in FIG. 3. Near the lift tab 26 there is a reverse fold or convolution 56 at one side only, there being none at the other side 58 where the metal is simply scored. This results in a bias or twist when opening the segment, with resulting reduction in the force required.

In the particular case here illustrated a part of the other side of the segment has a reverse fold or convolution, shown at 60, and it therefore may be said that both sides have reversely folded portions, but these portions are offset relative to one another, in order to bias or twist the opening operation. For much the same reason the reverse fold 56 is terminated short of the outer end of the segment, where the opposite side of the segment has its reverse fold 60. The twisting effect results in a flexing of the metal just under the score line, which bending action causes a concentration of stress and rupture of the metal at the score.

The can end may be made in accordance with suggested drawing, scoring and folding procedures which are schematically illustrated in simplified form in FIGS. 7-10 of the drawing. These are taken across the segment or ap proximately on the line 6-6 of FIG. 1, and are applicable to that form of the invention shown in FIG. 1.

The metal of can end 18 is first drawn upwardly over an area somewhat smaller than the segment area, as

shown at 62 in FIG. 7. The center portion then is reversely drawn or depressed, as shown at 64 in FIG. 8, and the remaining raised areas may be given some reverse drawing, indicated at 66. This is intended to aid a subsequent flattening operation, and to provide needed metal for the same. The score line 24 (FIG. 8) is most conveniently provided at this time.

FIG. 9 shows the initial or partial outward folding or flattening of the metal at 36, and completion of this flattening operation is shown in FIG. 10, with the reverse folds 36 overlying the score lines 24. The drawing and flattening of the rivet 30 may be performed during these same steps, but require no description, because they may follow the conventional practice now used.

A simplified form of the invention is shown in FIG. 15. The removable segment is defined by a score line represented by the dotted line 83. A lift tab 26 is secured to the segment by an integral rivet 30 as previously described. Two circular integral folds are shown at 84, and these may be formed in the same way as the rivet 30, that is, by first drawing an inverted cup, and then flattening the same. The parts 84 are located on the end portion of the score line which defines the segment, and more specifically in this case they are located at the corners of the segment. A part of the reverse fold of each flattened down top or circular element extends out beyond the score line 85 to provide leverage for the opening operation, as previously explained in connection with FIGS. 1, 3 and 4.

As so far described, the openable segment is a relatively small segment used for the pouring of a liquid or granular material from a can. The segment may be modified in shape for a particular purpose. Moreover, the segment need not be a small one for pouring, and may be quite large in area. This is shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, in which the container 70 is rectangular. If small in height the can might, for example, be a sardine can.

The openable segment 72 occupies much of the top of the can, the segment being defined by a score line here represented by dotted line 74. The segment 72 is rectangular except at the starting end where the sides converge toward a rivet 76 holding a lift tab 78. Here again the remote or trailing end of the segment preferably has a reverse fold or convolution 80, best shown in FIG. 12, and this overlies the scored surface and projects beyond the score line 74, thereby providing lift leverage to facilitate the last part of the opening operation.

The side edges of the segment also may have reverse folds or convolutions 82, serving primarily to stiffen the segment as it is being raised, and also to provide rounded safety edges, instead of the usual sharp edges on the segment. Although not so shown, the segment 72 may be additionally stiffened, as by means of collateral ribs like those shown at 44 in FIG. 3.

It is believed that the construction and operation and the method of making my improved container end, as well as the advantages of the same, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description. Although I have described the invention applied to containers having a metal top, it can be applied to other materials when such materials can be drawn, formed, or molded in the necessary configuration.

In respect to FIGS. 6, 10, 12 and 14, it will be understood that the radius of the reverse fold or convolution has been somewhat exaggerated for clarity, and that in fact the thin aluminum material may be pressed down quite fiat in face to face relation with no significant air space therebetween, such as is shown in the drawing. In respect to FIG. 5 the end portions show the can end prior to being peripherally seamed to the can body, that is the seam 20 shown in FIG. 2 has not been formed in FIG. 5.

It will be apparent also that while I have shown and described the invention in several preferred forms, changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as sought to be defined in the following claims. In the claims the term container end applies to the openable wall, even if large relative to the height of the container as in the flat rectangular can of FIG. 11.

I claim:

1. A container end having an openable segment defined by a score line, a lift tab, said segment having at one end an integral upwardly projecting rivet securing said lift tab thereto, the other end of said segment having a reverse fold or convolution which overlies the scored surface and projects beyond the score line, thereby providing a segment extension for lifting leverage to facilitate the last part of the Opening operation.

2. A container end as defined in claim 1 in which the material in said end is aluminum.

3. A container end as defined in claim 1, in which the sides as well as the end of the openable segment have an integral reverse fold or convolution which overlies the scored surface beyond the score line, said reversely folded side edges serving to stiffen the segment and to thereby facilitate the opening operation.

4. A container end as defined in claim 1, in which the openable segment has a number of stiffening ribs to stiffen the same and to thereby facilitate the opening operation.

5. A container end as defined in claim 1, in which portions of the sides as well as the end of the openable segment have a reverse fold or convolution which overlies the scored surface beyond the score line, said reversely folded side edges serving to stiffen the segment and to thereby facilitate the opening operation, the reversely folded portions of the sides being so ofiset relative to one another as to bias or twist the opening operation.

6. A container with an end made of metal and having an openable segment defined by a score line, a lift tab, said segment having at one end an integral upwardly projecting rivet securing said lift tab thereto, most of the remainder of the periphery of said segment having a reverse fold or convolution which overlies the scored surface and projects beyond the score line, thereby stiffening the segment and also providing an extension for lifting leverage to facilitate the opening operation.

7. A container as defined in claim 6 in which the metal of the end is aluminum.

8. A container as defined in claim 6 in which the segment near the lift tab has the reverse fold or convolution at one side only in order to bias or twist the opening operation.

9. A container end made of metal and having an openable segment defined by a score line, a lift tab, said segment having at one end an integral upwardly projecting rivet securing said lift tab thereto, the sides of said segment having a reverse fold or convolution which overlies the scored surface and projects beyond the score line, said reversely folded side edges serving to stiffen the segment and thereby to facilitate the opening operation.

10. A container with one surface wall having an openable segment defined by a score line, a lift tab, said segment having an integral rivet securing said lift tab thereto, and at least a part of the periphery of the segment having an integral overhanging lip which overlies and projects beyond the score line to provide lifting leverage to facilitate the opening operation.

11. A container as defined in claim 10 in which the said wall, segment and rivet are made of aluminum.

12. A container as defined in claim 10 in which at least a part of the periphery of the segment has an integral reverse fold or convolution which overlies the scored surface beyond the score line and projects beyond the score line to provide the integral overhanging lip.

13. A container end as defined in claim 1 in which the segment extension consists of a part of the periphery of each of a plurality of small circular-flattened integral rivets.

14. A container with one surface wall having an openable segment defined by score line grooves, and a lift tab attached to the segment, one of said score line grooves being on the top side of the surface wall, and the other of said score line grooves being on the underside of the surface wall, and being located in registration with the score line groove on the top side of the surface wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 842,237 1/ 1907 Mydland et al 220-54 3,303,960 2/1967 Fraze 220 54 3,204,812 9/1965 Henchert 220-54 3,272,382 9/ 1966 Stec 22054 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

G. T. HALL, Assistant Examiner. 

